Oprah Winfrey downplays nervous breakdown reports

TV titan Oprah Winfrey has downplayed reports she suffered a nervous breakdown last year, insisting she was just dealing with exhaustion after her busy work schedule left her feeling overwhelmed.

The talk show queen recently admitted she hit a low while trying to improve her struggling TV network OWN, telling “Access Hollywood,” “I thought, ‘All right, if I don’t calm down I’m gonna be in serious trouble.’ I mean, I wasn’t ready to go run naked in the streets. Let’s make that very clear. But I had reached a point where I just couldn’t take in any more stimulation.”

The quotes sparked speculation she had experienced a mental breakdown, but Winfrey has taken to her Twitter to explain her comments have been misconstrued.

She writes, “Never had a breakdown. Not even close. Story blown way out of proportion. Overworked. … No different than when my dog Gracie died. She raced everywhere, and the day she died, I knew it was a sign for me to slow down.”